An imprinting method has attracted attention as a technique for forming a fine pattern. In the imprinting method, an imprinting template including an uneven pattern formed thereon is contacted with resist coated on a base substrate. After the resist has cured, the template is released from the resist so that a resist pattern is formed on the base substrate. The base substrate is processed with the resist pattern as a mask so that a fine pattern is formed on the base substrate.
In the imprinting method, it is assumed that processing for forming the resist pattern on a wafer is repeated while the template is moved on the wafer. In order to improving a yield, the resist pattern is preferably formed so as to be close to an edge of the wafer. However, in the imprinting method, since the template is pressed to the resist, part of the resist extrudes to the outside of the template. The template pattern is not filled with the resist due to the extrusion. As a result, an imprinting defect occurs. In addition, in some cases, the resist that has extruded adheres to an outer circumferential surface of the wafer near the edge of the wafer and passes along the outer circumferential surface. Thus, there is a risk that the resist adheres to the side of a back surface of the wafer.
The resist that has adhered to the outer circumferential surface or the side of the back surface of the wafer, is not removed by a typical resist removing processing. Thus, the resist causes contamination of the wafer. For example, when the resist adheres to the outer circumferential surface of the wafer, the resist is transferred to a robot arm that conveys the wafer. When the robot arm holds another wafer, there is a risk that the resist is re-transferred to the wafer. When the resist adheres to the side of the back surface of the wafer, there is a risk that a defect occurs. For example, the resist adheres to a susceptor on which the wafer is mounted, or the wafer is mounted so as to tilt with respect to a horizontal plane of the susceptor.